1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to table and electronic wagering games, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a table and electronic card game.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Games of chance employing a deck of 52 cards are as old as the invention of cards themselves. The concept of using high cards in which to play and wager in card games is also old. Even so, the prior art discloses many novel patented card gaming tables and many novel patented card games to be played on them.
Card games generally employ one or more cards which, when dealt upon a horizontal surface, determine a score based upon indicia displayed by the upwardly facing sides or faces of the resting cards when the cards are turned face up.
Feola in U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,731 issued on Nov. 24, 1998, describes a novel casino game based on a selected card game in which a player wagers on one or more of a group of dealt hands, i.e. a random grouping or pot of cards and where the chances of winning are not enhanced by the skills of the player and no discretion in the selection is vested in either the player or dealer. A relatively complex card game, such as blackjack, baccarat, or stud poker is selected. A number of hands are dealt as lines or arrays on a playing surface and players wager as to which hand will win. The playing surface has a dealer position including a line or array for each hand dealt to the dealer. Player positions are located in a semicircle around the dealer position, each including a location at which wagers are placed. Winning wagers are paid a multiple of the wager. Optionally, the multiple is based on the odds of obtaining the particular winning combination.
Somma et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,337 issued on Nov. 25, 1997, disclose a relatively complex casino card game. Utilized is a single, 41-card deck of playing cards consisting of a standard, 4-suit playing card deck from which all xe2x80x9cfacexe2x80x9d cards have been removed and a single xe2x80x9cJokerxe2x80x9d card has been added. Play of the game starts with a first player selecting a card value, termed the xe2x80x9cdealer numberxe2x80x9d. No bets can be placed on the dealer number. Players may then place their wager(s) on any of the remaining xe2x80x9clivexe2x80x9d numbers, and the dealer deals a first playing card, face up. If the identified xe2x80x9cdealer numberxe2x80x9d card value is turned over, all players having placed a bet on any of the xe2x80x9clivexe2x80x9d numbers win, and are paid off even money. If the card has a value other than the xe2x80x9cdealer numberxe2x80x9d, the house wins all bets placed on the xe2x80x9cvaluexe2x80x9d number of the card that was turned over, and that value number is thereafter considered xe2x80x9cdeadxe2x80x9d. Play continues, with the players given an opportunity to place additional bets on the remaining, xe2x80x9clivexe2x80x9d card values prior to turning over the next card. If the xe2x80x9cjokerxe2x80x9d card is dealt by the dealer at any time before the xe2x80x9cdealer numberxe2x80x9d has been dealt, the house wins all remaining bets, and the game is over.
Boylan et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,162 issued on Mar. 4, 1997 disclose a method of playing another relatively complex matching wagering game between players and a dealer whose outcome is determined by randomly generated playing cards. After an ante bet is wagered, the dealer deals five cards to each player and deals seven cards to himself. A round of play is then commenced where the dealer plays a card from his hand to present the rank and suit thereof. Next, each player plays a xe2x80x9cmatchingxe2x80x9d card from his respective hand which is either the same suit or the same rank. In this manner, each player reduces the number of cards in his hand where a matching card is played during the round. The conducting of a round of play is then repeated until each card in the hand of the dealer has been played. Seven rounds are thus played each game, so that ultimately there are no cards left in the hand of the dealer. The ante bet of each respective player is consequently paid off as follows: (a) To each player if each player has no card remaining; or (b) to the dealer if each player has one or more cards remaining. Preferably, prior to the round of play, each player determines whether his respective hand has a winning hand or position and pays each player who selected the winning hand or position according to the odds and their wager or collects each player""s wager who did not select the winning hand or position. Additionally, a jackpot wheel may be included to pennit an added possibility of winning a larger payout.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,120 was granted to Malek in March of 1995 for another relatively complex poker-like card game, in particular, a card game suitable for use in casinos, and for a specifically designed table for playing the game. Specifically, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for playing a casino game simultaneously against a dealer and against other players. More specifically, this invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for playing a mixture of draw poker and one off twenty-one and baccarat wherein a player can simultaneously play Draw Poker against a dealer and one of Twenty-one and Baccarat against other players.
Virtually all casinos, especially those in the gaming capitals of the world have board games that are played for gambling purposes. Due to the complexity involved in playing the popular wagering games employing cards such as poker, blackjack, and baccarat, for example, as exemplified by the brief summaries given above, there is a need for a simpler game of chance that will appease all strata of expertise in the art of card gambling, yet remain challenging and enjoyable.
As evinced above, the game of poker is an extremely popular game currently found in most Las Vegas casinos, the rules of which are widely published and have numerous variations. This game provides numerous betting options, but the game involves complicated increasing or decreasing odds depending on the number of decks of cards used. Winning hands may include two pairs, three of a kind, four of a kind, and straights.
Although there have been attempts to improve upon existing card games and to develop new games of chance, none of the prior art card games have been able to overcome the complexity disadvantages described herein. Thus, a need exists for a card game that is simple to learn and play and that results in simpler, more expedient wagering decisions per hour.
One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a card game to be played by at least one player and a dealer or croupier using at least one standard deck of 52 cards. Also used by the croupier is a shuffling machine for cards, a dealing machine for cards and a catch bin for discarded or played cards. The order of play and payoffs for each bet are set by the house or the croupier.
The card game of the present invention is played by a player first placing a bet, preferably in a betting spot using chips, for example. Next, the dealer deals a predetermined number of cards to each player face down onto an area on the table called a pot designated for that player and afterwards deals the same predesignated number of cards to another area on the table called a dealer""s pot in a location on the table designated for the dealer""s pot. One play in a series includes the dealer turning up a player""s top card and turning up the dealer""s top card: High wins at even odds of 1 to 1; equal cards are a draw or push and neither wins except if a player has a deuce in which case the player""s deuce loses 1 to 1 odds; a player""s ace wins at odds of 3 to 2. After one play, a player may place a new bet before cards are next turned over. As an example, in a typical round involving the dealer and a player playing one hand, assume the dealer turns over a eight of spades as his upturned card and that the player turns over a Queen of hearts as his upturned card. In this case, the player wins the round and is payed off at 1 to 1 odds. It is to be understood that the odds described above are merely exemplary and may be different depending upon the pay out rules associated with each gaming establishment in which the inventive game is played.
The inventive card game, while exhibiting many valuable gaming features, as explained below in more detail, also can be inexpensively manufactured and incurs minimal operational overhead expenses. While the present invention may, in one embodiment, includes a separate, approximately five-foot semi-circular table, the present playing surface may be formed as a thin overlay to be placed atop existing casino game table equipment such as blackjack tables. In addition, if there are an insufficient number of players to warrant operating a full table, the table may be split in half, with one half of the table unoccupied, and the other half utilized for playing the game. Advantageously, the operational expenses associated with the present game are low. To operate the present game, the casino need only employ one dealer.
While the method of the present invention has been described in connection with a live gaming table format using a live dealer to deal the cards and handle the wagering, the method of play may also be practiced in a non-wagering (amusement) format in which points, chips, artificial money, and so on are used instead of items of monetary value. The amusement format can be a live table game or a hand-held computer game similar to the electronic amusement game. Moreover, a personal computer or a small hand-held device can be programmed or to designed to play the game. It is also contemplated that the game can be played via a terminal connected to an on-line network, such as the Internet. In the on-line network form, it is possible that a plurality of players may participate in a single game. The game of the present invention can also be embodied in an electronic apparatus for use on an airplane for those airlines provide gambling opportunities when flying over international waters or nations that allow it.
The card game has a minimal number of rules, and the rules are readily apparent to the novice gambler after very little observation.
In an embodiment of the inventive card game, every wager is effective until some predetermined number of cards are compared. Therefore, in contrast to the prior art card games, such as blackjack, the present game produces simpler wagering decisions. Thus, the present invention represents a substantial improvement over casino games of the prior art because it simplifies play and encourages wagering which in turn leads to increased entertainment for the player.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a player is provided the option of playing the novel game against a computer using a gaming device including a video display and means for interacting with the video display in a casino-style game environment.
In accordance with one aspect of the above embodiment, the inventive card game is played as a secondary game in the gaming device wherein the gaming device includes a primary game and a secondary game where the secondary inventive card game is only invoked when a particular sequence or outcome is achieved in the primary game, as will be described below.
An advantage of the card game of the present invention over prior art card games is that it is substantially less complex thereby enabling the game to move quickly which decreases the associated operational overhead.
A further advantage of the card game of the present invention is its simplicity and accessibility to the ever-increasing numbers of novice gamblers. Therefore, despite the popularity of both craps and roulette, the inventive card game presents several advantages to the casinos and players alike.
A still further advantage of the card game of the present invention is the simplicity of betting wherein a winning bet is easily recognized. Players advantageously compete against the house with virtually even odds based on a variation of high card wins, like cards draw or push, and players"" aces provide an advantage to the player. It is further noted that the pay out tables may vary in accordance with house rules as determined by each gaming establishment. Moreover, with respect to the slot machine version of the inventive game, the payouts will be more streamline from gaming establishment to gaming establishment, in that each gaming establishment is subject to certain payout guidelines as determined by an overseer gaming commission.
A gaming method disclosed is designed to quickly build excitement and anticipation by turning over a predetermined number of cards from a dealt hand per game, and as such is intended as a quick paced and an unusually exciting game to play and/or observe. Even more particularly, the instant invention is intended to give a novel and new look and feel to the currently popular card games yet have simplified rules and procedures designed both to encourage use by novice gamblers.